特徴～Features – ページ 31 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

18.Hachigata Castle Part2

In this article, let us simulate walking from the outer southern edge of the castle through the center to the tip.

Features

Castle becomes Hachigata Castle Park

Today, the ruins of Hachigata Castle have widely been developed as Hachigata Castle Park of about 5 hectare.s Many people visit to see the historical artifacts on display in the castle, as well as enjoy walking and relaxing in a nature setting. For example, there is a big cherry blossom tree which has recently become popular, called “Ujikuni Sakura (Cherry Blossom)”, named after the lord of the castle, Ujikuni Hojo. I recommend you allow yourself enough time to walk around the park to check the important artifacts of the castle and hopefully discover more interesting things to you. In this article, let us simulate walking from the outer southern edge of the castle (the outside of the Third Enclosure) through the center (the Main Enclosure) to the tip (near the meeting point of the rivers).

The big cherry blossom tree, “Ujikuni Sakura”

The front of the castle is near the railway crossing between the path and the Hachiko Line. The path after the crossing will divide into three – the centeral paved one which visitors usually go, the right one which was the Main Route, and the left one which leads to the Third Enclosure. The first route is convenient for casual visitors, however, we will take the second and third this time, in order to follow the original routes as closely as possible.

Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors

The map around the castle, the red broken line shows the route similar to the original Main Route and the blue broken line shows the route to the Third Enclosure

Going on Main Route

The right Main Route goes over some large deep moats beside the Main Route Enclosure, which could have been defensive.

The moat beside the entrance of the route (on the left)

The route next turns left at a square Umadashi enclosure, which was the key to the castle’s defenses. From there, it goes towards the center of the castle and finally reaches the border of the Third and then Second Enclosures.

The route turns left at the Umadashi Enclosure

The part of the Main Route in the castle diorama

You can see another Umadashi enclosure from the outside at the point, but originally, the route would have passed through it.

Another Umadashi is outside on the right

The route goes straight to the Second Enclosure, not thought the Umadashi

The route passed thought the Umadashi according to the diorama

Going to Third Enclosure via Suwa Enclosure

The left route is currently the approach to Suwa Shrine, also called the Suwa Enclosure. It is a square patch of land, still surrounded by earthen walls and deep dry moats, which are obviously a type of Umadashi system.

The earthen walls surrounding the enclosure

Another narrow path connects one side of the Umadashi to the entrance of the Third Enclosure, which looks very defensive. These are typical of the Hachigata Castle defense system.

Going from Umadashi of the Suwa Enclosure to the Third Enclosure

The entrance of the Third Enclosure, viewed from inside

The part of the Suwa Enclosure, the red arrow indicates the direction of the current route

Third Enclosure as Important Site

The Third Enclosure is the highest point of the castle. Tall, thick earthen walls, supported by stone mounds inside, (looking like stone walls), surround the enclosure. These structures were restored in the present time based on excavation records. A four-legged gate was also restored based on the research. Other evidence of buildings like halls has not been found so far, but the enclosure must have been important for the castle.

The earthen walls, supported by stone mounds, surround the enclosure

To be continued in “Hachigata Castle Part3”
Back to “Hachigata Castle Part1”

18.鉢形城　その２

今回この記事では、城の南側から城跡公園に入り、中心部を通って、崖の先端部まで歩いていくのを追体験する形で進めていきます。

特徴、見どころ

鉢形城公園として整備

現在、鉢形城跡は約５ヘクタールもある広大な鉢形城公園として整備されています。多くの人々がこの公園を訪れ、歴史的な城の遺物や復元物を見学したり、自然の中で散歩したりくつろいだりしています。例えば、公園には大きな桜の木があるのですが、城主であった北条氏邦にちなんで「氏邦桜」として最近有名になっています。是非ご自身で公園を歩き回って、城の重要なアイテムを確認しながら、自分なりに興味を持てるものを見つけていただければと思います。この記事では、城の南側（三の曲輪の外側）から城跡に入り、中心部（本曲輪）を通って、崖の先端部（川の合流地点の近く）まで歩いていくのを追体験する形で進めていきます。

城の正面入口は、通路と八高線が交差する踏切の近くにあります。踏切を越えた後、通路は３つに分かれます。真ん中の舗装された通常ビジターが進んでいく道路、右側のかつての大手道、そして左側の三の曲輪に至る道です。とりあえず公園に来てみたいという方には真ん中の道が便利なのですが、今回は右側と左側の道を選択して、城のオリジナルの道がどうなっていたのかできるだけ迫ってみたいと思います。

Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors

城周辺の地図、赤破線は大手道に近いルート、青破線は三の丸に至るルート

大手道を進む

右側の大手道は、大手曲輪に沿った大きく深い堀を越えていきます。防りがしっかりしていると感じます。

次に、城の防御の要である四角い馬出しのところで左折します。そこからは城の中心部に向かって進み、三の曲輪と二の曲輪の境界の辺りに達します。

もう一つの馬出しが、道から外れたところにあるのですが、かつての大手道はその馬出しの中を通っていました。

諏訪曲輪を通って三の曲輪へ進む

左側の道は、諏訪曲輪と呼ばれている諏訪神社の参道になっています。そこは、四角く区切られた土地で今でも土塁と深い空堀によって囲まれています。見るからに馬出しという感じです。

もう一本の細道が、その馬出しの側面から三の曲輪の入口の方に出ています。この入口の守りも固そうです。この組み合わせが典型的な鉢形城の防御システムと言えるでしょう。

重要な拠点、三の曲輪

三の曲輪は城ではもっとも高い位置にあり、厚く高い土塁が曲輪を取り囲んでいます。また、内側ではまるで石垣のように見える石積みが土塁を支えている構造になっています。これらの構造物は、現代になってから発掘の成果により復元されたものです。四脚門も発掘によって存在していたことがわかり、同じく復元されています。これまでのところ御殿のような建物の痕跡は見つかっていませんが、この曲輪は城にとってはとても重要な場所でした。

「鉢形城その３」に続きます。
「鉢形城その１」に戻ります。

153.Kitabatake Clan Hall Part3

The enclosures on the northern ridge of Kiriyama Castle look isolated from the other mountains around, so it must have been the real final stronghold.

Features

Route to Kiriyama Castle

The route to Kiriyama Castle is much longer than that from the foot to the final castle. You have to climb ridges and valleys of the mountain for over 30 minutes. The castle was built on the northern and southern peaks of the mountain.

The map around the castle

The location map of the castle at the site, adding the red English letters

Bell Tower Ruins on Southern Ridge

You will eventually arrive at the southern one which is called the Bell Tower Ruins. As its name suggests, there was a bell tower, but there are no buildings now. The view of the area around is very good, so it might have had a lookout tower as well.

Leaflet|国土地理院

The aerial photo around the castle

There are also two other ridges (in the north and southernwest, or right and left from the southern ridge from where you came). You should choose the northern or right one to reach the northern peak which were the Main Enclosures. Please don’t go to the southwestern or left one, or you will be stuck at much harder mountain areas. You can see some artificial ditches in the direction to prevent enemies from even attacking under the severe conditions.

You should choose this path to the northern ridge

You shouldn’t choose this direction (southernwest)

The ditch for preventing the enemies from the southernwest

Main Enclosures on Northern Ridge

If you go on the northern ridge, which goes up and down steeply, you will finally arrive at the Main Enclosures on the top. The enclosures are divided by ditches into the Rice-granary ruins in the southwest, the Main Enclosure in the center on the top, and the Turret ruins in the northeast. They are all still surrounded by thick earthen walls.

The stone monument of the castle ruins at the Main Enclosure

The ditch between the Main Enclosure and the Turret Ruins

The Main Enclosure, in particular, looks like a bowl probably because the walls collapsed and the ground inside was filled with soil, which made their shape becomes round. These enclosures on the northern ridge look isolated from the other mountains around, so it must have been the real final stronghold.

Later History

After the invasion by the Oda Clan, Kitabatake Clan Hall, plus the final castle and Kiriyama Castle, were abandoned. A descendant of the Kitabatake Clan built a small shrine in the hall ruins, which worshiped his ancestors during the Edo Period, which is the origin of the current shrine. After the Meiji Restoration, the situation changed as the government decided that the Southern Court has been orthodox. Since then, the warriors and lords who had supported the Southern Court were focused on, one of which was the Kitabatake Clan. The shrine was developed being named The Kitabatake Shrine, and finally designated as an Imperial Shrine of Special Status in 1928, which worships loyal vassals. Similarly, the Kitabatake Clan Hall Ruins Garden and Kiriyama Castle Ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1936. This was probably reflected by the contributions of the clan. After the discovery of the old stone walls of the original hall, the hall ruins were added to the National Historic Site in 2006.

My Impression

When I first visited the Kitabatake Clan Hall Ruins as the current Kitabatake Shrine, I was honestly disappointed with them. This was because there were few castle-like items. I also found the introduction of Kiriyama Castle at that time, but I decided not to go there as I thought I didn’t have enough time to complete it. That’s why I tried to go to the castle ruins on another day and was satisfied. However, I can now say that if you don’t have enough time to see both ruins of Kitabatake Clan Hall and Kiriyama Castle, you can at least go to the final castle of the hall on the way to Kiriyama Castle in a short time.

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Kitabatake Clan Hall Part1”
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